Comparison

Save the Cat! vs ShotDeck

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Save the Cat!

This app helps writers structure stories for screenplays, novels, and TV episodes using a proven methodology. It guides you through developing loglines, genres, beat sheets, and scene organization with features for emotional arcs and character development.

Highlights
  • Develop logline and title
  • Choose from 10 story genres
  • Complete Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2)
  • Organize scenes with 'the Board'
  • Track character arcs
  • Create emotional changes per scene
  • Sync files across devices
Features
Read full description

All new version, built from the ground up using Apple's standard, master-detail style for full compatibility with iOS functionality including Dark Mode. Even if you don't own the desktop version of Save the Cat!®, you can still use this amazing tool, touted as the "secret weapon" of the working writer, to help build better, more powerful stories, with greater resonance and emotional impact. Whenever your creative juices start flowing you'll have this revolutionary app, which is based on Blake Snyder's best-selling books and software, at your fingertips. You'll delight in the ability to structure your screenplay, teleplay, stageplay or novel the Save the Cat!® way. By incorporating the methods, tips and tactics found in the Save the Cat!® series of books on story structure, this application will help you to: * Develop a powerful Logline and Title * Choose one of the 10 unique Save the Cat!® Genres * Complete a Blake Snyder Beat Sheet (BS2) with variations for screenplays, novels, and 1/2 hour and 1 hour tv episodes. * Use “the Board” to create cards for each scene and arrange them in the perfect order and to track character arcs and other important aspects of your story. Just long-press on a scene or other element in the Board then pick what you want to insert at that point. * Add sequences to combine multiple scenes. * Add labels to the Board to keep track of important points. * Create Emotional Changes for each and every scene * Create Set-ups and Payoffs as your protagonist progresses through the story Sync your files across devices. This is a manual process so you're in complete control as to when you post and download your changes. Just create an account and login on all your devices. If you had a Save the Cat! account for the website or for when you purchased STC, that will not work here. You'll need to create a new account. You can even add one or more writing partners to your project and sync your changes with them if you have the Premium or Pro level. Enter the username for their new STC account. The free version allows you to add projects and work on your title, logline, genre, and the beat sheet. Many of the features listed below require an in-app purchase. Essentials has all the basic functionality you need to develop a screenplay, novel, or tv episode with characters, locations set-ups, and pay-offs. Premium adds the ability to track things or objects, and relationships. You'll also be able to develop a novel by chapters instead of using a beat sheet. Pro adds the ability to develop an entire series of movies or novels that use all the same characters, locations, things, and relationships and to track their stories across the entire series. You can also develop an entire tv series with multiple seasons. Other cool updates include the ability to have multiple versions of your beat sheet and multiple versions of your board for each beat sheet. Much improved script typing. And, if you're working on a novel, just type in your manuscript with proper formatting. All new facts section keeping track of important facts ("Bible" for tv writers) for characters, locations and other entities. Add important elements for characters, locations and other entities that you need to track through the story. Add the character or entity to the Board and track those items through the story. As always you can add attachments such as photos, pdf's, and other important research documents so you have everything at your fingertips.

About

ShotDeck

Access the world's largest library of high-quality, searchable cinematic images. This tool aids directors, cinematographers, and visual artists in finding inspiration, conducting research, and referencing visual styles for film production. Explore detailed information for each image to enhance your creative process.

Highlights
  • Largest collection of cinematic images
  • Meticulously keyworded and searchable
  • Detailed image metadata (cast, crew, camera, lens)
  • Time-saving image discovery
  • Inspiration, research, and reference tool
  • Collaborative professional tool
Features
Read full description

Shotdeck is the largest collection of meticulously keyworded fully searchable high quality cinematic images in the world. Hello directors, cinematographers, designers, ad folks, film students and visual artists, you’ve just discovered your new secret weapon, the best collaborative professional tool for bringing your vision to life - from pitch, to prep to post. Each image has information on cast and crew, aspect ratio, framing, lighting, camera, lens, shooting location, and a dozen more. This time saving app will help you not just find the exact image you are looking for but allow you to discover ones that you never new existed. You'll wonder how you ever worked without Shotdeck. Inspiration - Research - Reference - Education - Discovery Start exploring Shotdeck totally free today and witness your vision come to life and your creativity reach new heights.

Screenshots

Save the Cat!4 screens
ShotDeck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Save the Cat! at 4.6 against ShotDeck's 3.2. Save the Cat! also leads on ratings volume (440 vs 44) and review sentiment (39% vs 29%). ShotDeck's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Save the Cat! sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. ShotDeck asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Save the Cat! holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Save the Cat! has 440 ratings behind it against 44, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 39% of Save the Cat!'s written reviews are positive against 29% of ShotDeck's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Save the Cat! ships an update every 2 months, ShotDeck every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Save the Cat! versus ShotDeck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSave the Cat!ShotDeck
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (440 ratings) — better3.2 (44 ratings)
Positive reviews38.6% of reviews — better28.9% of reviews
Number of ratings440 — better44
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size19 MB78 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperBlake Snyder EnterprisesFilmmakers Research Lab, LLC

Customer experience

Save the Cat!

All ratings440 ratings
Positive91.1%
Neutral3.0%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive38.6%
Neutral15.9%
Negative45.5%

ShotDeck

All ratings44 ratings
Positive47.7%
Neutral11.4%
Negative40.9%
Written reviews45 reviews
Positive28.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative60.0%

Bugs and requests

Save the Cat!

Reported bugs

12 issues
  • App crashes when opening Board feature
  • Beat selection stuck in window mode
  • Login credentials rejected on website
  • Crashes every 10-15 minutes
  • Unable to upload attachments
Show 7 more
  • Text field entrapment - unable to exit beat field
  • Work disappears without explanation
  • iPad version won't sync to desktop version
  • App not available in certain countries/regions
  • Glitchy and unresponsive desktop version
  • Manual save required - no auto-save on crash
  • UI labels cut off in both orientations

Requested features

11 requests
  • Monthly subscription or free trial option
  • Spanish language support
  • Downloadable desktop app with same login credentials
  • Printable outline/board export
  • Scrivener export functionality
Show 6 more
  • Larger font size adjustment
  • Actual board layout with pinch-to-zoom on mobile
  • Auto-save functionality like Google Docs
  • Automatic app access with book purchase
  • Desktop version for Mac with full feature parity
  • Genre description snapshots in selection

ShotDeck

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Save the Cat!

Subscriptions6
  • Essentials Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly Subscription$4.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Essentials Subscription$21.991 Year
  • Premium Subscription$29.991 Year
  • Pro Subscription$39.991 Year
One-time4
  • Upgrade Premium to Pro$9.99
  • Unlock Essentials$21.99
  • Unlock Premium$29.99
Show 1 more
  • Unlock Pro$39.99
None

ShotDeck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Save the Cat! free?
Save the Cat! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShotDeck free?
ShotDeck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Save the Cat! or ShotDeck?
Save the Cat! is rated higher. Save the Cat! averages 4.6 out of 5 from 440 ratings, while ShotDeck averages 3.2 from 44 ratings.
Do Save the Cat! or ShotDeck have ads?
Neither Save the Cat! nor ShotDeck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Save the Cat! or ShotDeck?
Save the Cat! ships an update every 2 months, and ShotDeck every 2 weeks. Most recently, Save the Cat! was updated on September 21, 2026 and ShotDeck on September 24, 2026.

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